First safety rating to new 2023 test criteria announced

Australia and New Zealand’s independent vehicle safety authority, ANCAP SAFETY, has today announced the first safety rating for a vehicle tested against its new 2023 criteria.

The first vehicle model to undergo independent ANCAP safety testing to the expanded 2023-2025 criteria - the battery electric Lexus RZ - has provided a strong demonstration of what can be achieved with modern safety features and technologies, achieving the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.

The Lexus RZ achieved scores of:

87% for Adult Occupant Protection
89% for Child Occupant Protection
84% for Vulnerable Road User Protection
84% for Safety Assist

Score thresholds of 80% (Adult Occupant Protection), 80% (Child Occupant Protection) and 70% (Safety Assist) continue to apply for a vehicle to be eligible for a five star rating in 2023, however the breadth of safety aspects and test scenarios assessed under the new 2023-2025 protocols has expanded, along with adjustments to the distribution and quantum of available points. Crash protection remains the foundation of ANCAP safety ratings.

Key changes include:

– Vehicle structure
Now placing a greater focus on vehicle-to-vehicle crash compatibility through an increased penalty of 8 points (previously a 4 point penalty)

– Restraint design
Now requiring improved performance of onboard restraint systems for front and rear seating positions through a reduced tolerance for chest injury in the full width frontal test

– Motorcyclist detection
Now assessing a vehicle’s ability to detect and avoid collisions with motorcycles through autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind spot monitoring (BSM) and lane support (LSS) functionality

– Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
Now assessing AEB systems that function in head-on and intersection crossing scenarios

– Cyclist protection
Now assessing anti-dooring functionality, improved vehicle design to reduce cyclist head injury, and additional AEB scenarios

– Child occupant & pedestrian protection
Now evaluating in-cabin systems that detect and notify the driver of a child inadvertently left inside a vehicle, and AEB systems that detect and react to child pedestrians when reversing

– Rescue & extrication
Now assessing vehicle submergence egress capability

– Driver monitoring systems
Now assessing direct driver monitoring functionality that monitors eye movements for distraction, fatigue and unresponsiveness

From 2023 the five-star threshold for Vulnerable Road User Protection has also increased to 70% from the previous requirement of 60%. Threshold increases for all other star rating levels within the Vulnerable Road User Protection pillar have also been introduced.

Against the new 2023 criteria, the Lexus RZ satisfied the cyclist anti-dooring requirements, demonstrating its ability to warn occupants of an approaching cyclist when exiting both the front and rear doors, and to prevent door opening if needed. Vehicle submergence requirements for door and window opening were also met.

The RZ also demonstrated Good performance in each of the new lane support and autonomous emergency braking scenarios including those with the stationary and braking motorcycle and in intersection turning scenarios involving an oncoming motorcycle.

Full details on the safety performance of the Lexus RZ can be viewed here. To learn more about the 2023-2025 requirements, see https://youtu.be/fOZXwM5Qff0

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